Swayambhunath Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal

On May 18, 2023May 18, 2023 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Nepal4 Comments

One of the last places that we visited during our time in Kathmandu was to Swayambhunath Stupa, which is located on the hillside overlooking the city. It is commonly referred to as “monkey temple” due to the abundance of monkeys that live in the trees that surround the temple grounds. Although there are plenty of monkeys and, as always, you need to be careful around them as they will steel anything that they can get their hands on, we found the nickname to be somewhat derogatory. The temple grounds and the large stupa at the top of the grounds are definitely worth visiting and it is quite busy because it is located on the edge of the city and is a short drive from most of the hotels.

Colorful Buddha Greets You as You Start to Climb Up the Hill

Some of the Many Monkeys that Give the Stupa It’s Nickname

Looking Up at the Architecture of the Stupa

The shape of the Swayambhunath Stupa has very specific meaning as the white, round dome base represents the earth and the 13 golden tiers on the tower of the stupa represent the 13 stages to nirvana. Also, the face of Buddha on the four sides of the tower each face in the directions of west, north, east, and south. There is much more to the temple grounds than just the stupa as there are many different temples and statues surrounding the stupa. There are also the famous prayer wheels that wrap around the base of the stupa and faithful will spin each wheel as they walk around the stupa.

Prayer Wheels and People Walking Around the Stupa

Unique Artwork and the Iconic Prayer Flags

It was the most crowded location of all of the places that we visited while in Kathmandu other than perhaps the Durbar Square in Kathmandu. You will also find plenty of vendors selling goods around the temple grounds and we actually purchased a set of the famous prayer flags before leaving to go back to our hotel. In addition to the stunning architecture, there are also wonderful views of the city from the top of the hill, but it was a little cloudy on the day that we visited, so the views weren’t as dramatic as they might be on a clear day. Especially considering how close it is to the heart of Kathmandu, it is certainly worth taking a couple of hours to visit the Swayambhunath Stupa.

Interesting Features Around Every Corner

These Prayer Displays Were Located Around the Stupa

Weekend Getaway to Ocean City, Maryland

On May 9, 2023May 9, 2023 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn MarylandLeave a comment

Ocean City in Maryland is a popular destination due to its beaches and boardwalk with all of the activities. It is a location that is important to us as it is where we met thirty-four years ago and this was our first time going back since that time. It was interesting to see that much of the city was the same as it was years ago, but obviously a lot of it had changed and it has certainly grown over the past few decades. The city resides on a narrow strip of land that has the bay on one side and the ocean on the other, which makes it very scenic. You can watch the sun rise over the ocean side of the city and then watch the sun set over the bay side.

We spent most of our time walking along the beaches along the ocean and enjoying the different places along the boardwalk. Even though the official beach season has not quite yet started, the boardwalk was definitely quite busy with a lot of tourists. We can only imagine how busy it actually gets during the summer when all of the tourists descend upon the beachside city. There are many resorts along the beach as well, which is where we stayed, but there are also lots of vacation rental properties as well.

In addition to enjoying several wonderful meals while were in Ocean City, we also made sure to get some ice cream and we brought home some saltwater candy as well. Another common item to get while walking along the boardwalk is fresh fudge and you will likely see people walking with small buckets of fries. The biggest draw to the end of the boardwalk are all of the carnival rides and giant Ferris wheel. Although we didn’t go on any of the rides, we certainly saw lots of children and adults enjoying all of the various rides.

Besides the boardwalk, the main reason that people go to Ocean City is to enjoy the beach and swim in the ocean. We also saw several surfers out riding the waves as a storm had passed through the evening before. We will definitely go back to Ocean City at some point, but probably not until autumn when the summer crowds have subsided. It was certainly an interesting trip down memory lane for us and brought back lots of wonderful memories.

Hiking the Trails of Arches National Park in Utah

On April 14, 2023April 14, 2023 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Utah5 Comments

There is no doubt that Arches National Park in eastern Utah near the town of Moab is one of the most beautiful parks in the United States. With so many fascinating geological features, there are literally incredible sights around every corner as you drive through the park. There is one road that will take you through the heart of the park with a couple of side roads that lead to specific attractions and you can certainly see a lot that the park has to offer by simply driving through the park and pulling over at certain viewing areas. To really enjoy everything that the park has to offer, though, we’d highly recommend that you get out and hike a few of the trails.

Landscape Arch – One of Our Favorite Arches

Devils Garden Trail – This trail is one of the most popular trails within the park because of the diversity of the trail as well as the number of arches that can be seen on the trail. The first part of the trail is considered easy and also provides views of three arches, including the Landscape Arch, which was one of our favorites. After reaching the Landscape Arch, the trail becomes more difficult as you head toward Double O Arch and then the second half of the loop is extremely difficult where you need to rock scramble and there are steep slopes. For obvious reasons, many people only go as far as Landscape Arch, which was what we did as well.

Hikers Heading Up an Exposed Rock Face in Utah

Delicate Arch Trail – There are viewing areas that you can go to by car to see the famous Delicate Arch (which is seen on the state’s license plate), but to see it up close, you should take the popular Delicate Arch Trail. The trail is listed as moderate and, with the exposure to the sun, steep rock faces, and some narrow ledges towards the end, it is definitely not an easy trail. The views are definitely worth the effort as you gain a little over 600 feet in elevation with panoramic views in all directions. The highlight, of course, is Delicate Arch where people take turns having their pictures taken in front of the arch.

Sand Dune and Broken Arch Trail – This is a relatively short trail that can be found near the Devils Garden Campground. The trail first goes by the Sand Dune Arch, which gets its name from the sand that surrounds it. It then turns into a loop that will take you by Broken Arch and Tapestry Arch. If you want to keep it really short, you can visit the Sand Dune Arch and Broken Arch and then return without doing the full loop.

Regardless of which trails you choose, you will truly appreciate the size and beauty of the many arches if you take the time to hike amongst them. Seeing how nature has carved the rocks through wind and rain erosion is certainly a wonderful experience whether you hike the trails or not. Arches National Park is certainly one of our favorite national parks and if you are a photographer, the variety of images that you can capture are truly endless.